A civil right is an enforceable right or privilege, which if interfered with by another gives rise to an action for injury. Examples of civil rights are freedom of speech, press, and assembly; the right to vote; freedom from involuntary servitude; and the right to equality in public places. Discrimination occurs when the civil rights of an individual are denied or interfered with because of their membership in a particular group or class. Statutes have been enacted to prevent discrimination based on race, sex, religion, age, previous condition of servitude, physical limitation, national origin, and in some instances sexual preference. Civil rights attorneys handle cases involving the rights of individuals to be free from unequal treatment (or discrimination) based on legally-protected characteristics such as race, gender, disability, national origin, age, sexual orientation, and religion. Civil rights cases can arise in a number of settings -- including employment, housing, lending, and education.
Pullman is an unincorporated community in Lee Township of Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is in a predominantly rural area of Western Michigan, about 150 miles east of Chicago. It is centered on the junction of 109th Avenue and 56th Street between sections eight and nine of Lee Township at 42°29′01″N 86°05′29″W / 42.48361°N 86.09139°W / 42.48361; -86.09139. It is approximately 10 miles northeast of South Haven, about 13 miles southeast of Saugatuck/Douglas, and 12 miles west-southwest of Allegan. The Upper and Lower Scott Lakes are nearby, which empty into the Scott Creek Drain, a tributary of the Middle Branch of the Black River. Two brothers named Clement built a sawmill in 1870. A station on the Chicago and West Michigan Railway (later part of the Pere Marquette Railway) was established in 1871 and the area became known as "Hooperstown", after an area landowner. A post office with that name operated from 1875 to 1880 and began again in 1891. The post office was renamed Pullman in 1901, apparently after George Pullman. The ZIP code for Pullman is 49450. Locally the area is known for its blueberry production. The residents tend to be fiscally conservative, and Pullman has some of the lowest property taxes in all of Michigan. Many locals fear that in the next few decades the area may become another minor getaway for vacationing Chicagoans, thus raising local prices and taxes.